Amy Dowden has given fans an update on her battle with breast cancer after undergoing a mastectomy and fertility treatment while preparing to start chemotherapy.
The Strictly Come Dancing star, 32, recently revealed her second cancer diagnosis, after the doctor discovered she has “a different type of cancer” following her first breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
And taking to Instagram on Monday, Amy shared how she’d decided to share her cancer journey in an effort to raise awareness and encourage others to check on themselves.
She also shared a number of photos and videos of herself in the hospital preparing for a port (a small, implantable reservoir with a thin silicone tube that attaches to a vein) ahead of her chemotherapy treatment.
She wrote, “I’ve decided I want to share my chemo journey to raise awareness, hopefully get others checked, and to understand what we’re going through.
health struggles; Amy Dowden has given fans an update on her battle with breast cancer after undergoing a mastectomy and fertility treatment as she prepares to start chemotherapy
Bad: The Strictly Come Dancing star, 32, recently revealed her second cancer diagnosis, after the doctor discovered she has ‘a different type of cancer’ following her first breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year
‘Port mounted! Wasn’t looking forward to it. Wasn’t easy… my veins! I feel tender, bruised and sore, but the port will help immensely over the next few weeks and allow me to dance when I feel well enough.
‘A port is under the skin and the tube goes down my vein to the heart giving safe access for chemo (I believe, I’m not a dr!) Rrrrrrrright that’s ✔️done! Ps don’t swipe to the last slide if you’re a prude!’
Her post was met with a plethora of supportive messages from fans and her showbiz and Strictly star friends.
Amy also took to her Instagram stories to share a selfie of herself in her hospital gown, where she shared that she wasn’t looking forward to having the gate put in or the scar it would leave her.
She said, ‘I’m really not looking forward to this! Another scar, this one only an inch long, but will always remind me and will always be visible (emoji with tears in the face).’
In an additional post later, Amy reflected on everything her body had been through during her treatment and shared how her health ordeal has changed her outlook on life.
She wrote: “Thanks for all the comments and messages today! I sat here tonight and thought wow my body has been through so much in the past 6-7 weeks.
“Mastectomy, fertility treatment due to the stages to come, a minor flare-up of crohns and now chemo and hormone treatment. Just show when you need to be, you can be strong, stronger than you think is possible.
Update: Amy shared on Instagram Monday how she’d decided to share her cancer journey in an effort to raise awareness and encourage others to check themselves
Ouch: She also shared some photos and videos of herself in the hospital preparing to have a port put in prior to her chemotherapy treatment
Message: In an additional post later, Amy reflected on everything her body had been through during her treatment and shared how her health ordeal has changed her outlook on life
“It has definitely changed my outlook on life and I just need to push through the next few months and I am determined to do that.
‘But also showed me how lucky I am to have so many loved ones around me and the support of you! THANK YOU! It means so much and has helped me more than you will ever know over the past few weeks. Now please remember to check yourself.’
Amy, who recently surprised her Strictly friends at rehearsals, was first diagnosed with aggressive stage three breast cancer in May.
She found a lump while preparing for her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones in April and shared her diagnosis weeks later.
The professional dancer has since undergone surgery, a mastectomy and fertility treatment.
However, during an Instagram Live chat with breast cancer survivor and Paralympic gold medalist Erin Kennedy for the charity CoppaFeel! on Friday, Amy revealed the devastating news that cancer had been found elsewhere in her body.
Devastating: Last month, Amy said doctors discovered she has ‘a different type of cancer’ following her initial breast cancer diagnosis earlier this year
Supportive: She initially found a lump while preparing for her honeymoon with husband Ben Jones in April and shared her diagnosis weeks later (pictured in 2022)
Revealing that doctors found more tumors when she went for an MRI scan and underwent her mastectomy, Amy said, “For me, my journey changed everything. Originally I was going to have a lumpectomy, radiotherapy and hormone treatment.
“But then, after my MRI, they found another tumor, so then it turned into a mastectomy, and then, after my mastectomy, they unfortunately found more tumors.
“And my pathology wasn’t what they expected, and they found a different type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo — for me that was a huge blow.
“It wasn’t originally in the plan—and I know the plan you can’t get fixated on.
‘So suddenly I realized it, and you get scared, but the oncologist did say that with chemo I have a very good chance of healing.
“I was really scared and I didn’t want to do chemo, but when I saw someone like you (Erin) who went through and for me it was right away my dancing, like, you can take my breasts away but you can’t take my dances away from me and that makes me really angry.’
While Amy hoped to return to Strictly Come Dancing this year, she said she wants to. now on hold: “This year means I can’t dance with a celebrity on Strictly, but I’m in touch with the team so regularly.” The BBC has just been completely unbelievable.
Illness: The Strictly Come Dancing star has been trying to stay positive after being diagnosed with aggressive stage three breast cancer in May
“We’re just one big family and they’re going to be mentored by me and there are so many ways to be involved with the show.
“I’m just staying very positive and hoping that somehow I’ll still be a part of the show and my goal is to continue dancing – the oncologist told me that exercise is really, really good for people going through chemo undergo, it is important. So that was encouraging.’
Amy added of Erin, “And then when I clearly see someone like you and the way you’ve bounced back, it really gives me hope.”
“So I’ve had a hard time accepting having to have chemo and what comes with it — hair loss and everything else — but I’m determined to keep going as healthy as possible.”